Week 1

[Joshuah Welch]

Where to begin..

I've actually enjoyed getting to know people the last day or so. I'd have to say that Kelsey, Kathy, Libra, Howard, Liz, Cassandra, and Shelli are my favorite people so far. I've bonded with them the most, our conversations don't seem forced. It's just working for me with them. No official alliances with any of them as of right now, but I'd love to work with all of them for awhile. On the bright side, no one has really rubbed me the wrong way yet, so that's a good thing.

I wasn't too sure what to make of the Battle of the Block twist. I honestly can't stand it on the show, so wasn't really cracked up about seeing it in this game. The fact that it kind of forces you into nominating people, you may not necessarily have wanted to nominate, is good from a viewer and dramatic standpoint, but can definitely be harmful to people's games. 

The first Head of Household was quite the battle. James, Sam, and I answered all the questions correct, so it came down to the tie breaker. When I answered the tie breaker, I went in thinking that it would be like all Big Brother tiebreakers. The person closest to the answer without going over would win. So, I intentionally guessed a fairly low number, with the hopes that people would overshoot. I guess that's what I get for thinking, because apparently you just had to be closest, it didn't matter whether you went over or not. I guess it's my bad for not asking before I submitted my answers. Had I been thinking correctly on how it worked, I'd have scooped up that second HOH rather than James.

Alas, Sam and James ended up winning. Normally, I wouldn't have been too pressed about it, because I didn't want to come right out of the gate swinging. But, with the BOTB twist active, it's better to be HOH, due to the increased odds of being nominated.

I was talking with Kelsey while the results were being posted. After I saw that Sam had won and I didn't, I was a little nervous. I hadn't spoken to Sam yet, so I knew there was a good possibility that he'd nominate me. I conveyed this concern to Kelsey, and she said the same. So, it comes time for Sam's nomination ceremony and I find myself nominated with Kelsey. I wasn't really surprised. And, I can't be too mad at Sam for nominating me, because had the positions been reversed, I would have nominated him, due to us not talking.

I'm curious to see who James decides to nominate, because I don't feel that there is really any scapegoats in the game, so every nomination is going to ruffle some feathers. The only good thing about being nominated right now, is the fact that I have two chances to save myself from eviction. I'm not ready to test these new relationships with the people I've built, by having them save me in an eviction. So, I'm going to make sure I either win Battle of the Block with Kelsey, which would be most ideal, or win that veto.

I said in my early interview, that my first goal was to survive the first eviction. Well, there's a fairly decent chance that I could be staring it down the barrel in a few days time. But, I'm confident in my abilities, and I'm confident in Kelsey, that we can both work our way out of the current position we find ourselves in.

Can't wait to see how the rest of the round plays itself out.

[ika]

Dolphins have been witnessed
entertaining themselves by
creating underwater bubble rings.

Good luck with BOB

[Joshuah Welch]

Well, Battle of the Block certainly didn't go as planned. Kelsey and I were dead set on kicking ass in it too. I'm not sure what really went wrong. I hate to place the blame, but I'd have to say Kelsey didn't really perform as well as I thought she would, or for as big as she talked. I know I found well over half the words, it was probably closer to 75% of them. Had she been able to find more, I think we would've at least stood a better chance.

Then, I was determined to win Power of Veto. It was a jigsaw puzzle, which is something I'm actually pretty good at. But, as luck would have it, I finished in third...again. I was kind of happy to see that Howard and Liz were the two who beat me, because I feel like I have built some genuine and good connections with them. So, I was somewhat hopeful that Liz would veto me.

I talked to her about it for a little bit last night. Told her that I wasn't trying to be too forward, or pressure her into doing anything, but was kind of wanting to see where her head was at regarding things. She said, that she more than likely wasn't going to use it, because people just weren't sure where Sam really stood in the mix of things, or who he'd even think about nominating for a replacement. I was disappointed to say the least, but I didn't want her to know that, so I assured her I understood where she was coming from, and respected her decision.

Liz along with Naeha, both expressed to me how disappointing Sam is. I thought maybe I was the only one who just didn't see him online much to talk to him, but they expressed the same concerns to me. If the three of us feel that way, I'm sure others do too. Which, is kind of shitty. The whole reasoning behind him nominating me, was because he hadn't spoken to me. Well, it's pretty hard to speak to your dumb ass, when you're literally never online...for fucks sake.

So, today Liz officially posted that she chose not to use the veto, which means tomorrow, either Kelsey or myself will be leaving the game. I honestly feel like I deserve to stay. I feel like I'm more active than she is, I feel like I communicate and build relationships well with a lot of people, and I feel like I'm definitely a better challenge competitor than her. I just hope other people can see that, and the people that I've built trust with, will see that I have a better chance to win competitions, which could not only keep them safe, but benefit them in the game as well.

I know Kelsey is pretty well liked, hell I love the girl, and she's definitely outgoing and personable. I feel like potential votes for me to stay would be; Liz, Kathy, Shelli, Howard, Nick, Libra, and Naeha. With James and Steve not being out of the realm of possibility either. I just hope I've done enough for that group to trust me, and trust that keeping me is the right decision.

The way my luck works in Big Brother themed games though, I honestly won't be surprised if I'm evicted tomorrow. It's a shame, because I'm not ready to go yet, and I think I really have a lot in me to add to this game, and could really make a push toward the latter stages. I'm even more disappointed in thinking, that a tiebreaker was the difference between safety and sixteenth, especially when I was thinking it'd be set up like the actual show, and it'd be the closest without going over....Sigh...Well, if this is my last post in here, which it very well could be...

It's been real Housecallers